Legacy of the Order (Tie-in to ROS and TFA)
by Devizz
Summary: Rumors have spread of the return of the jedi. While many are now HOPEFUL, aftermath of the war still ripples throughout the galaxy, having left many systems in utter CHAOS. Now-legendary Luke Skywalker struggles to find his place in the world and answers a distant call for aid, feeling the need to help the galaxy at large however he can, like the Jedi of old.


p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;"em class="_7s4syPYtk5hfUIjySXcRE" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…/em/p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;" /p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;" /p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b; text-align: center;"span class="_12FoOEddL7j_RgMQN0SNeU" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"STAR WARS/span/p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b; text-align: center;"span class="_12FoOEddL7j_RgMQN0SNeU" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"LEGACY OF THE ORDER/span/p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b; text-align: center;" /p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b; text-align: center;"It is a time of PEACE and healing. After the destructive galactic civil war and the collapse of the GALACTIC EMPIRE, citizens of the newly formed NEW REPUBLIC take a much needed respite./p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b; text-align: center;"Rumors have spread of the return of the jedi. While many are now HOPEFUL, aftermath of the war still ripples throughout the galaxy, having left many systems in utter CHAOS./p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b; text-align: center;"Now-legendary Luke Skywalker struggles to find his place in the world and answers a distant call for aid, feeling the need to help the galaxy at large however he can, like the Jedi of old./p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b; text-align: center;"Unbeknown to Skywalker, not all is as it seems and there is more at play to his undertaken mercy mission...br / /p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;" /p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;" /p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;"span class="_12FoOEddL7j_RgMQN0SNeU" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"CHAPTER 1: From the Shadows/span/p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;""em class="_7s4syPYtk5hfUIjySXcRE" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"Very funny Artoo. No dashing heroics this time./em"/p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;"The droid beeped in conciliation and Luke could swear he sensed a tone of sarcasm in the said beep. R2-D2 clearly realized that when one travels with a Skywalker, dashing heroics is an unavoidable part of the overall experience. Indeed, apple did not fall far from the tree./p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;""em class="_7s4syPYtk5hfUIjySXcRE" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"We're about to jump out of hyperspace. Be ready, just in case./em" Luke proclaimed admittedly./p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;"In his recent travels on the fringes of the unknown regions, he realized just how dangerous the galaxy was. The empire has fallen but as a result countless crime syndicates rose up from the previously dormant, contained underworld. The New Republic was stretched thin as it were, lacking the resources to maintain order in the core worlds much less the outer rim. At times Luke wondered if things truly changed for the better. So many lives were lost at Endor and Jakku. Not to mention the clash in the Yavin system - what he did that day… it still kept him awake at night./p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;"As the T-67 X-wing starfighter left the hyperspace, a planet materialized before his eyes, slipping him out of his slumber of thoughts./p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;""em class="_7s4syPYtk5hfUIjySXcRE" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"I think my scanners might be malfunctioning Artoo. I am picking up very few life forms/em." Luke's disclosure was worrisome./p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;"R2-D2 let out a concerned chirp./p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;""em class="_7s4syPYtk5hfUIjySXcRE" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"You too? I thought there were many settlements in the system, even a spaceport or two./em" Surprise filled the Jedi's voice./p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;"They were quiet for a moment, taking in the recent revelation. They came here to aid the populace of this world but apparently there were very few left that needed their aid to begin with./p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;""em class="_7s4syPYtk5hfUIjySXcRE" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"All right, we can't just leave so here's what we'll do./em" Luke declared, his voice immediately shifting from uneasy to determined./p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;""em class="_7s4syPYtk5hfUIjySXcRE" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"We'll head down and try to find out what happened./em" He continued. "em class="_7s4syPYtk5hfUIjySXcRE" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"With any luck, both of our scanners readings are inaccurate./em" As he uttered the words, he realized how unlikely they were./p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;"Luke brought down the X-Wing, adjusting the fighter's four thrust engines to half-speed. The planet's swirly winds played with his controls - nothing he couldn't handle./p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;""em class="_7s4syPYtk5hfUIjySXcRE" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"See if you can do something to boost our sensors Artoo./em" Luke requested expectedly./p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;"While the little astromech worked his magic, Luke did too. He let the force flow through him and stretched out with his feelings. The planet's fauna seemed to be intact, acting in synchronous harmony like it did for eons past which seemed to indicate that whatever happened here, no weapons of terror were used in the process - as if the people of the planet decided to leave their homes behind and travel off world for no apparent reason. Indeed, the place looked unnatural, haunting even - urban areas that spanned for miles on end were utterly abandoned. Suddenly R2-D2 began to beep excitingly, clearly pleased with his findings./p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;""em class="_7s4syPYtk5hfUIjySXcRE" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"The exact same transmission Leia received? You sure?/em" Luke asked./p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;"R2-D2 chirped in acknowledgement. Luke knew better than to doubt his long-time companion./p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;""em class="_7s4syPYtk5hfUIjySXcRE" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"You managed to lock onto the signal...?/em" Before finishing the sentence, Luke realized the inquiry was unnecessary. R2 already took control of the ship's controls and steered them away from the city./p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;" /p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;"-/p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;" /p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;"In contrast to the previous settlements they flew by, the district they now traversed seemed obscure and distant. Somewhat out of place in terms of the materials used in its construction. While the earlier establishments had numerous durasteel constructs, which was rare for an outer rim world, here everything was mostly made out of actual wood and stone, an equally rare sight these days, even in rural areas./p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;"Luke raised the hood of the cloak he just appareled as he stepped off the X-wing, a barrier against the unrelenting wind and pummeling rain. A sudden burst of lightning tore the sky apart, for a brief moment illuminating the building ahead. It would seem that the planet's climate went in pair with its current disposition. Clouds completely blocked out the sun rendering his eyesight close to useless. Luke recalled what one of his mentors taught him about visual perception - em class="_7s4syPYtk5hfUIjySXcRE" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"your eyes can deceive you, do not trust them/em. If need be, even blindfolded, he could navigate his surroundings with ease. Then again, the shimmering lamp which extended from R2-D2's central panel made things easier./p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;"There it was. Luke felt a faint presence in the force, most likely indicating an intelligent life form nearby. He moved towards it with the little droid slumping through the boggy morass not far behind./p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;"In an instant, Luke's senses heightened. His hand a blur, empowered by the force, grabbed the hilt of a lightsaber attached to the belt of his tunic. In position with an ignited blade even before the bolt came, he assumed the stance of the classic Form IV deflecting the incoming particle beam. Blast ricocheted onto a nearby scaffolding, vaporizing it./p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;""em class="_7s4syPYtk5hfUIjySXcRE" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"Artoo, take cover!/em" He shouted and then continued. "em class="_7s4syPYtk5hfUIjySXcRE" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"Please, hold your fire! I mean you no harm./em"/p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;"He could sense another blaster fire surging in his direction. This time, bending the laws of time and space, Luke manipulated the energy field of the force stopping both the blaster bolt and its origin point, the mysterious assailant./p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;"He turned around and in what seemed like a flash dashed towards the attacker - an elderly male of a feeble, slouching posture, his face full of deep wrinkles and hair a dark-grey mess./p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;"The male was clearly in shock, unable to move even a single muscle of his body, as if frozen by an unknown power./p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;"Luke pulled down the hood of his cloak and extinguished his lightsaber simultaneously sheathing its hilt./p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;""em class="_7s4syPYtk5hfUIjySXcRE" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"Forgive me, I didn't mean to do that./em" He said in an apologetic tone while slightly waving his hand, releasing the old man from an abnormal paralysis./p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;"The man stumbled backwards, the recent shock he felt now manifesting as disbelief and dread./p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;""em class="_7s4syPYtk5hfUIjySXcRE" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"Y-y-you. I saw you and the others. Murderers, all of you!/em" He spat./p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;""em class="_7s4syPYtk5hfUIjySXcRE" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"Please, calm yourself. Like I said, I just want to talk.../em" Luke countered but before he could add anything the elderly man muttered:/p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;""em class="_7s4syPYtk5hfUIjySXcRE" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"You're clad in black just like... t-them. One had the exact same laser sword!/em"/p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;"What was he talking about? A lightsaber wielder? Perhaps a marauder of some kind that managed to get his hands on an actual functioning hilt? Luke was aware that on occasion a relic from the Clone War or even times before might circulate on the black market but very few such weapons still existed, much less ones with intact kyber chambers. Most were obliterated in a grand spectacle of propaganda on Coruscant orchestrated by Palpatine's puppet, Mas Amedda. The political ruse that meant to symbolize Darth Sidious' ultimate triumph and his inevitable, indefinite dominance occurred decades ago, shortly after the Jedi Purge which all but wiped out the order. Then again, Luke sensed no deception from the man that laid before him in the dirt, face half-submerged in gritty muck. The most likely scenario was that the old-timer saw an augmented vibrosword of some kind and confused it for a lightsaber./p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;""em class="_7s4syPYtk5hfUIjySXcRE" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"Let me hel…/em" Luke started while reaching out with his hand to help the elder but before he could finish, the man squeezed the trigger of the blaster he was now holding directly near his forehead./p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;""em class="_7s4syPYtk5hfUIjySXcRE" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"No!/em" Luke's voice echoed off the nearby cliffs but it was too late, the stranger's lifeless body stumbled onto the muddy ground./p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;"R2-D2 emerged from a nearby alcove, strolling towards Luke and chirping with concern./p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;""em class="_7s4syPYtk5hfUIjySXcRE" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"...I am fine Artoo./em" He declared resigned./p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;"He had no idea what to make of all this. His only lead was now gone. Worst of all, he messed up by not reacting quickly enough to stop the undoubtedly traumatized man from taking his own life. Yet another soul lost on his account./p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;""em class="_7s4syPYtk5hfUIjySXcRE" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"You found what?/em" Luke responded to R2's beeps, distressed./p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;"He followed the astromech and gazed in horror at what he witnessed. A vast, broad field stretched as far as the eyes could see in every direction and at its center, there was a hole of enormous proportions, filled almost to the brim./p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;"It was a mass grave. Suprisingly, no smell of rotting bodies accompanied it nor insects that given the planet's fauna, should be stripping all the flesh clean, down to the very last bone. Some sort of material was used to seal off this... tomb, for a lack of better word. It was almost as if the whole thing was hidden with intent. Luke couldn't help but wonder if that were the case, why weren't the bodies burned or vaporized?/p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;"He sensed something was amiss. Ramblings of a deranged, old lunatic or not, something deeply unsettling occurred here and he knew it was paramount that he got to the bottom of it./p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;""em class="_7s4syPYtk5hfUIjySXcRE" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"Artoo, head back to the ship and try to make contact with Hosnian Prime. It might take some time to get out a clear signal in these conditions./em " He said with utmost urgency and began to inspect the abhorrent pit./p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;"The astro droid could already be seen cruising in the X-wing's direction but for a brief moment he stopped and turned his upper visor back towards Luke, beeping questioningly./p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;"em class="_7s4syPYtk5hfUIjySXcRE" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;""I don't... know my friend. I don't know."/em/p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;"-/p  
p class="_1qeIAgB0cPwnLhDF9XSiJM" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Noto Sans', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1a1a1b;"TO BE CONTINUED IN span class="_12FoOEddL7j_RgMQN0SNeU" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"CHAPTER 2: REUNION/span/p 


End file.
